by Kirby Lindsay, posted 21 January 2013
On January 7th, the Lake Union District Council (LUDC) met. This organization, which gathers representatives from neighborhood organizations around Lake Union, votes annually on street improvement projects proposed to the City of Seattle by ordinary citizens.
First though, at this meeting, Betsy Davis, Executive Director of the Center For Wooden Boats (CWB,) made a presentation on the amazing diversity of new projects, and growth to come, within this organization. The CWB now has locations on both ends of Lake Union, as well as Camano Island, and Davis reported about the ways this Pacific Northwest resource stewards and educates on the history of maritime and the ways we can be good stewards in the future.
After Davis’ presentation, the LUDC members heard six presentations on six specific traffic improvements for locations around the Lake Union District – which contains Fremont, Wallingford, Eastlake, South Lake Union, Cascade, and Westlake. The Seattle Department of Transportation will consider three of these proposals, under the 2013 Neighborhood Street Fund, and the LUDC recommendation decides which ones.
The presentations were on:
Phinney Avenue N, Street Calming –
Ryan Thurston, who saw through the safety fence on the Aurora Bridge, gave a video presentation on the need for traffic calming on Phinney Avenue North between the Woodland Park Zoo and North 46th Street. While he gave no specific recommendation for the vehicles along that stretch should be slowed down, he did point out that traffic there often exceeds the posted speed limit.
Woodland Park Ave, Greenway –
Cathy Tuttle made this presentation on behalf of Toby Thaler, who could not be present. This effort, to turn Woodland Park Ave N, from Lower Woodland to Lake Union, into a greenway friendlier to cycle and pedestrian traffic, was sited in four Neighborhood Plans and contained in the original Olmstead Park Plan.
The proposal specifically focused on improvements to intersections along Woodland Park Ave. It also highlighted the need for neighborhood and stakeholder engagement to determine the most appropriate design, and work out costs. The proposal specified bike lanes or sharrows, crosswalks, and pedestrian islands, but remained focused on the need for a process. As to the need, Tuttle said, “this [roadway] works as a spine, connecting areas of transit.”
Most unusually, this proposal was submitted for consideration by both the LUDC and the Northwest District Council (NWDC) because it straddles the two districts. LUDC City staff person, Rob Mattson, informed the Council that they could choose not to select this project in the hope that the NWDC would choose it.
N 40th St & Sunnyside Ave N, Traffic Signal –
This proposal came from a group of neighbors calling themselves United Wallingford, as they seek to unite the north and south parts of the residential area with a safe pedestrian crossing for N 40th St. Tuttle made this presentation with Madeleine Carlson, and her two sons.
They made a strong argument for creating a safe place to cross this arterial, particularly with two schools requiring access by residents located on both sides of N 40th Street. Their proposal observed that distracted drivers frequently fail to stop at marked crosswalks, even when children/elders are present.
In 2011 and 2012, the City of Seattle did conduct an analysis of the area and the results asserted that the numbers of pedestrians didn’t support installation of a traffic signal. Yet, the presenters countered that pedestrians would channel through a single intersection if a signal existed.
Stone Way/N Northlake Way/Waterway 22, Pedestrian Walkway –
Mark Christiansen and Robert Vets presented this proposal for finishing pedestrian access – sidewalks – along North Northlake Way from the end of Stone Way to Gasworks Park. Most specifically, they asked for some sort of finished pedestrian walkway at Waterway 22, where Stone Way meets the water of Lake Union.
While this proposal met many questions about the engineering of a walkway or access – and concerns about the costs – it was very popular with those who have tried to walk this stretch of street. In the winter, including January, rains often make the dirt/blackberry path impasable by all but the most well-equipped.
Westlake Ave & 8th Ave N, Pedestrian Crossing –
Michael Giles, an employee at the US Bank branch in South Lake Union, presented this request for a pedestrian crossing at Westlake Avenue & 8th Ave N. Giles often sees people attempt to cross, coming and going from Kenmore Air, the hotel, or on visits to South Lake Union Park. The pedestrians often find themselves stranded in a huge void area that has no markings defining if it is for pedestrian use, or vehicular.
He proposed a flashing yellow ‘pedestrian walkway’ light over Westlake. Giles does not support another traffic signal at this spot since lights are already installed one block north and one block south.
Green Lake Way, Planted Medians –
Greg Hill presented this proposal to install planting medians along Green Lake Way, to provide pedestrians with islands when they attempt to cross the four lane roadway. It could also, he pointed out, lessen potential vehicular collisions by channeling cars attempting to turn left from the median. This project has as its inspiration the medians along Bridge Way, a few blocks south.
A Vote Taken/Decisions Made
After the presentations, the representatives at the meeting (from Cascade Neighborhood Council, History House, Fremont Chamber of Commerce, Lake Union Association, Wallingford Chamber of Commerce, Wallingford Community Council, Center For Wooden Boats, and Eastlake Community Council,) voted for the projects they felt were the highest priority.
They selected, in this order:
- N 40th St & Sunnyside Ave N, Traffic Signal
- Westlake Ave & 8th Ave N, Pedestrian Crossing
- Stone Way/N Northlake Way/Waterway 22, Pedestrian Walkway
- Woodland Park Ave, Greenway
The LUDC members chose to select three projects, with an alternate in case SDOT found one of the original three unfeasible – or eligible for funding through another source.
They also encouraged the citizens that presented the two projects not selected to seek funding through the upcoming Neighborhood Park & Street Fund. Rob Mattson agreed to forward information about this opportunity. The LUDC members encouraged the applications for what they felt were also necessary improvements.
For more information about the work of the LUDC, and the Street Fund, contact Rob Mattson, City of Seattle staff person, at 206/684-4951 or rob.mattson@seattle.gov Or, attend the next meeting, on February 4th at 5p at History House.
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©2013 Kirby Lindsay. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.